Third Try's the Charm
by dark mirth
Summary: After the battle with the Void, Syaoran went back to China. He failed to keep in touch and Sakura tried to move on with her life...with little success. Now he's back to win her again, but their classmates and the Li Clan will do anything to stop them! SxS
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"_If you don't want to, just say so," he said softly. His eyes searched mine._

_I opened my mouth._

_And then closed it again._

"_Come on, let's get out of here. Want to get some hot chocolate?" he smiled. I inclined my head slightly and his smile grew wider._

_I'm such a coward._

_

* * *

  
_

"Sakura, time to get up," Kero said. I smiled but kept my eyes closed. I was in my bed, far away from that love hotel.

A love hotel, you ask? Yes.

You see, I have a boyfriend.

"Come on now, get up!" he said, getting impatient. I opened one eye. Hovering above me was my guardian, Keroberos. He looks like a stuffed animal, but in reality is a large lion with wings. I'll tell you how I met him some other time.

Back to the boyfriend. His name is Satoshi. He's in my homeroom class. We are both seniors in high school. I turned eighteen this past April.

"I see you're awake _now_," Kero said loudly. I simply grinned and got out of bed, beginning my morning routine.

"Sakura, are you up yet?" my father called.

"Yes, just a minute!" I replied, pulling my shirt over my head. It was now June. The weather was getting warm, which made me very happy.

"You came back rather late last night," he said as I came down for breakfast. His voice held a hint of concern, as if he knew things hadn't gone as planned.

I was supposed to give Satoshi my virginity last night. That was why we went to the hotel. But I chickened out at the last second.

I saw someone else's face – not Satoshi's.

"I'm sorry, I'll stay in tonight," I replied, munching on my toast. My dad was making our lunches, wearing his ratty old apron. "You really need a new apron, Dad," I said. He shrugged.

I glanced at the empty seat across from me at the table. I have a brother, Touya, who goes to university in Tokyo. We used to argue all the time. I wonder how he's doing right now.

Thinking of Touya reminded me of someone else and I abruptly got up from the table without finishing my food.

After all these years, why did I have to start thinking of him again?

"Bye, Dad," I said softly, and left the house to walk to school. I wondered briefly if I'd encounter Satoshi on the way there.

Looking up at the sky, I started to walk, remembering how I'd found Kero inside the magic book of Clow. My life changed forever that day. That was the reason I met…

"Sakura," a deep voice said. I looked up.

And it all came back.

Every card we captured together, every one I transformed into my own.

His confession.

My confusion.

And our reunion.

He was smiling. I froze, drinking him in with my eyes.

The last time I saw him he had come to Japan and helped me capture the Void. Together we made the Hope card.

He was the same. And yet he had changed. His shoulders were broad now, his face more…masculine. His dark brown hair hung messily over his eyes, like it always had.

I had loved him. We had agreed to keep in touch. He'd said there were just a few more things waiting in Hong Kong.

"Well?" he asked, "What do you think?" He opened his arms wide. He was wearing my school's uniform.

"Syaoran."

That was all I could manage.

* * *

DM: If you review, I will update. I hope you like it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"_Sakura?" Satoshi's voice came from behind me._

_I turned around. He stared at Syaoran, who glared back._

"_Who's this guy?" they both asked._

_I ran away._

_

* * *

  
_

"Ah, why are you so out of breath, Sakura?" my best friend, Tomoyo, asked. She gets driven to school in a limo and always arrives very early.

"N-no reason," I lied.

I decided she'd guess it on her own when she saw him. Tomoyo was always by my side during my adventures. She was the one who helped us get together in the first place.

Although it failed.

"I received a letter from Eriol yesterday," she said happily, tossing her long, black hair over her shoulder.

Tomoyo is the prettiest girl I know. I wondered why I hadn't received a letter from Eriol in two months but kept silent.

Eriol is half the reincarnation of Clow Reed, the creator of the cards. My dad is the other half. Eriol lives in England.

It's much farther away than Hong Kong, but he still managed to keep in touch all these years…

"Sakura, you've been a little strange lately," Tomoyo said softly, "Did things not go well with Satoshi last night?" Her eyes were worried.

I was about to answer, but I felt a presence enter the room. A magical presence.

My eyes shot to the door on their own. And there he stood, just as magnificent as I remembered. He glared at me and then turned and left.

A hand waved in front of my face.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Tomoyo turned to look but no one was in the doorway. I shook my head to clear it.

"You're right. I haven't felt very cheerful recently. Maybe I should break up with Satoshi," I replied. Tomoyo sighed.

"You saw Syaoran's face again, didn't you?" she said knowingly. I've never told her about that, but she somehow guessed it. She knows me quite well.

Over her shoulder, I saw Satoshi enter the room. He has straight, blonde hair and blue eyes. The opposite of Syaoran. Syaoran's eyes are a deep and golden amber.

He walked a few steps toward us, but then seemed to think better of it. He sat down on the far side of the room. I pretended not to have noticed him.

Dimly, I wondered what he and Syaoran had talked about.

"Sakura, you know you can tell me anything," Tomoyo pleaded, noting the heavy atmosphere.

What was I supposed to say? Syaoran broke my heart by not returning my calls, and showed up at my house this morning acting as though nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, I'm no longer the cheerful and brave Sakura he used to know! I can't even find it in me to speak my mind anymore.

"If Satoshi wasn't such a nice guy, I would have done it last night," I said softly, staring at the floor.

"Done what?" a gruff voice asked. I jumped in my seat. Syaoran was standing beside Tomoyo, his hands on his hips, staring me down.

Tomoyo turned and stared in shock.

"Syaoran?" she asked, waving her arms wildly.

"In the flesh," he replied, smirking. It had been a long time since I'd seen that smirk.

"Hey! Get back out here!" the teacher called, "You're not supposed to go in until I tell you to."

Syaoran placed a hand over mine and gave me a deep look. I felt myself blush all the way to the roots of my hair. He left the room quickly and the teacher came in.

The class had since gathered and everyone sat in their seats as the professor, a young man in his thirties with dark hair and glass, tapped the podium lightly with a ruler.

"Class we have a new transfer student, Li Syaoran." He gestured to the door. Syaoran came in and bowed to the class. The girls began murmuring about his good looks and I felt something in my chest tighten.

"I am Li Syaoran. Pleased to meet you," he smiled (when had he learned to smile like that at strangers?), "But I am here for one reason only."

He stared at me so hard the rest of the class turned to look. I wanted to sink into my chair and disappear. Satoshi had a stricken look on his face and turned away when I tried to make eye contact.

Tomoyo wore a mischievous little smile.

* * *

DM: Is this story worth continuing?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"_Sakura, do you know him?"_

"_No fair! He's so cute!"_

"_You have a boyfriend already, Sakura!"_

"_Let us have him."_

_I shrugged. Over their heads Syaoran held up his lunch box._

_

* * *

  
_

"Girls are like animals," Syaoran said as we ate our lunch outside. The females of my class, accompanied by Satoshi, were staring at us through the window. I don't understand why they didn't just come eat with us.

I stared at my bento. My dad had made my favorite lunch.

"Hey, why aren't you eating?" he asked, leaning close to me.

I stood up and the lunch box spilled to the ground. I wasn't hungry anyway.

"Where have you been? What makes you think you can act like nothing happened?" my voice was rising to a shriek.

It was too much too soon for me.

"And why did you never respond? I did _everything,_" my face felt hot as I continued yelling. Was I crying? "And now look at me! I don't know what to do with you! How do I respond? I have a boyfriend now, for goodness' sake! We're not kids anymore!"

I stopped and breathed deeply. Something wet was rolling down my cheek. Syaoran was staring at me, dumbfounded.

"Sakura, I knew this wouldn't work out perfectly, but if you'd let me explain—"

How could he be so calm?

"That's enough," Satoshi said from behind me.

He walked up and put an arm around me. Syaoran stood up quickly and frowned.

"I don't know what happened between you two, but please stop bothering my girlfriend. You've made her cry," he said, patting my head. I sniffed in a very unattractive manner.

"Sakura, I love you. That's why I'm here," he said firmly.

My heart skipped a beat against my will. Satoshi took a step in front of me.

"I said, that's enough," his voice was soft and menacing.

Syaoran looked as though he would fight him in a heartbeat. Desperate, I busied myself with picking up my lunch from the ground. It was mostly ruined. Both of them stooped to help me and a heavy silence settled over the three of us. Syaoran had trained in martial arts, and while Satoshi was pretty athletic, I knew he didn't stand a chance.

I felt a light tug on my neck and looked up. Syaoran was holding the Star key, staring into my eyes.

"What happened?" I whispered, curious in spite of myself as to why he'd left me alone.

"I can't say until I know it's safe," he said cryptically.

He locked eyes with Satoshi over my shoulder and released my necklace. The key felt warm as it touched my skin. It hadn't felt this warm in a long time.

We stood up slowly. Syaoran looked around casually. Next to me, I could sense that Satoshi was still fuming.

"Things have changed. I didn't expect you to be like this," he said. There was a note of challenge in his voice and instantly the ten-year old Syaoran was standing in front of me, asking me for the Clow cards.

"I'll show you," I whispered. They both looked at me in surprise.

I turned and went back to class, the two boys trailing behind me.

I have to confess, I'm not the type to sulk or hold grudges. I really am a cheerful person. Syaoran would come to understand that I really hadn't changed all that much.

Syaoran had got my blood boiling again.

It felt good.

* * *

DM: Thanks so much for all your reviews! They make me so happy! Just a note if you find Sakura OOC. I think if the one you loved abandoned you for five years and suddenly came back, you wouldn't handle the situation much better than this. Anyway, from next chapter on, the old Sakura will be coming back. Please review, and tell me, should I make the chapters longer or do you like them like this?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"_I can walk home by myself today," I told Satoshi._

_He glanced at Syaoran, who had been surrounded by girls since the bell rang._

"_Ok," he said softly, "Just be careful."_

_

* * *

  
_

On my way home I sensed something I hadn't felt in a long time. It was a very small pulse of magic. Very slight, but I knew it was there. I'm not the card mistress for nothing.

It felt the way Syaoran's ofuda's used to feel. Distinctly Chinese. I wondered briefly if he was using magic.

I remembered the last time I'd seen him use an ofuda. It was against the Void card. It had failed, naturally.

My chest got tight as I remembered the rest of the battle, and how he had said, "I'll fall in love with you again," as he offered up his strongest emotion to appease the Void.

"Syaoran…" I whispered to myself. His name brought a smile to my lips.

"It's her!"

I turned my head sharply at the sound.

There was no one around.

Wary, I stood my ground, looking around me. Just as I felt another flash of magic, a red official mailbox uprooted itself and began to walk towards me.

Yes, you read that correctly.

With each hop, it grew larger. Metal appendages sprouted from its sides. I had backed away to the other side of the street, staring up at the metal spider. The sun glinted off its rounded top.

I looked around again, and still found no one. All the drapes were closed in every house.

I was alone. I was alone and the magic was growing stronger.

Swiftly a large leg came down on me.

"Jump," I cried instinctively. Since the last time I'd seen Syaoran I'd gotten the hang of how to use the lower level cards without a staff. Kero was so proud.

I leapt onto the roof of the house behind me and ducked behind a chimney. The mailbox looked confused. With the bought time I recited my chant:

"Key that hides the power of the stars, reveal your true power to me. I, Sakura, command you under contract. Release!"

The staff grew in my hand, like it always does. As I pondered which card to use, I felt a brief blip of the magic, and heard the mailbox take a step into the front yard.

My time had run out.

"Rain!" I yelled, striking the card with my staff, "Rain only on the monster!"

A cloud appeared above the mailbox and rain began to pour. Channeling my energy, I made it rain until the mailbox had rusted to a halt.

I had stopped sensing the Chinese magic. Whoever it was must have given up for now.

Ordinarily, I would have tried to find them, but the magic they had placed on the houses was starting to wear off. I could hear people talking in the house below me.

"Time!" I called. Everything halted. I knew I would regret using such a taxing card later, but I had no other choice.

Using Jump and Power, I hopped through a frozen Tomoeda carrying the large pile of rust. Not knowing what else to do, I dropped it off at the metal refinery on the edge of the city.

Time resumed once more and I sighed. Using all those cards had made me really hungry. I sent Kero a text message telling him I'd be home late and that I would explain the magic then.

Eating was most important now.

Conveniently, I reached a restaurant before I'd even walked a block. Without bothering to check the menu (everything tastes good after I've used the Time card) I walked in.

"Welcome!" a familiar voice called. I looked up in shock.

_No way…_

"Kinomoto?" an excited voice called.

"Meiling!" I cried. She stood before me in a waitress uniform, a bowl of ramen in either hand.

"Oi, where's that order going, Li!" the chef yelled from the kitchen. Meiling did a little hop and took it to a table near the back of the shop. As I watched her walk I became aware of how beautiful she had become in the past four years.

"Sakura, come have a seat at the bar!" Meiling said, waving me over. I obeyed and sat down.

"What'll you have?" she asked, although I could tell that she really wanted to talk about other things.

"Just give me what you like the best," I replied. She nodded and said something to the chef through a little window into the kitchen.

There weren't many people in the shop, so she took a seat next to me as she poured me some green tea.

"I've missed you! Did you get my latest letter?" she asked, giving me a quick hug.

That's right. Meiling had always kept up our correspondence, and always claimed to know nothing of Syaoran's whereabouts.

"I haven't yet, which is why I'm so surprised," I responded, "What brings you to Japan?"

Meiling looked over her shoulder before whispering, "I'm following Syaoran."

She looked very miffed when I did not exhibit any surprise.

"What? Don't tell me you knew he was here, you who always asked about him!" she exclaimed, her face turning a little red.

"He transferred to my school," I said softly. Her jaw dropped.

"That little—what is he thinking?"

I shook my head.

"How did you know he was here?" I asked, "I thought you guys lived far apart after your return to Hong Kong." The chef placed a bowl of ramen on the windowsill.

"Well," she replied, pausing to bring the bowl to me, "The clan's in an uproar. Apparently he's supposed to still be training or something."

"Training?" I cocked my head to one side.

"Yea, I just heard about it from Auntie. You see, she thought he'd run to my house and called me." I started eating and she sighed. "He's been training somewhere for the past few years, and even she hasn't been able to talk to him."

The noodles I had been holding with my chopsticks slid back into the broth.

"Can you believe that he didn't even stop to see her? Just came over here right away."

No, I couldn't believe it, but for some reason the words would not come to my mouth.

Behind me the door opened and closed.

"Sakura?"

* * *

DM: Well there's another chapter. I tried to make it longer. Thanks so much for all the reviews! I love you guys! Did you like this chapter? Review if you did! Did you hate it? You should also review!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"_Satoshi," I said softly._

_Meiling eyed him up and down._

"_Welcome, how may I help you?" she asked cheerfully._

* * *

"Ah, I'll have plain ramen," he said, looking directly at me. I suppressed a sigh. Who orders plain ramen?

Meiling walked over and gave his order to the chef. Satoshi slipped into her seat and smiled gently at me.

"I tried so hard to find you – why didn't you want to walk home together?" he asked. He was hurt.

"I heard that my friend," I inclined my head toward Meiling, "was back in town and I was in a rush to come see her." I was making excuses. With Syaoran back I couldn't bring myself to continue this charade.

"Sakura, that guy, what is he to you?" he asked. His eyes narrowed as Meiling brought him his bowl.

I looked away.

"Wow, Sakura, do you want another bowl?" Meiling asked loudly from over my shoulder. I nodded and smiled weakly as she carried my now-empty bowl to the kitchen.

Satoshi was still waiting for an answer. I looked him in the eyes. When had I become so weak? I was still Sakura Kinomoto, right? Sakura Kinomoto, card mistress!

"Syaoran is someone very important to me from a long time ago," I said firmly. Something flickered behind Satoshi's eyes. I paused to gather courage.

"I see…" he said.

I opened my mouth to deal the final blow when he spoke again:

"Sakura it's not like you to be so half-hearted. I don't know if I can stay with you if you have feelings for another guy."

Meiling and I exchanged shocked glances above his head. I did not expect that kind of answer, not even a little bit.

"Well if that's how you feel then let's just break up," I said.

He placed some money very calmly on the counter and left, his bowl of ramen untouched.

"Wow that was a lot easier than I thought it would be," I said happily after he left.

Meiling brought my second bowl of ramen and sat back down, still looking at the door.

"Hey Sakura…" she said, frowning, "We're awfully far from your school, aren't we?"

I nodded and got back to eating. I was still ravenous.

"So…he probably followed you all the way here…" she said wistfully.

I froze. "No, that's impossible," I said quickly. She turned and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

In hushed tones, I told her everything. How Syaoran and Satoshi (and everyone else, for that matter) were driving me crazy, so I took an alternate route home, and was then attacked by a China-powered mailbox. I explained that Satoshi couldn't have followed me here because a) the Time Card had halted time and b) I had used jump to get here.

This only made Meiling's frown deepen.

"So they've come to take him back," she said. Her large crimson eyes narrowed.

"I guess? Why would they attack _me_, of all people? They must think that if they capture me they can get him to go back to China," I said, laughing.

Meiling turned and looked at me in surprise.

"When did you learn to think like a villain, Sakura? I'm impressed!" she exclaimed. I shrugged.

I then opened my bag to get money for my bill. She put her hand on my arm.

"They've probably gone to your house by now," she said softly.

My heart stopped.

My father was at home, by himself. Touya and Yukito had long since moved to Tokyo. Kero was probably playing videogames.

"I have to go!" I said, putting a fistful (was it even enough?) of money on the counter and dashing out.

"Good luck!" Meiling called, "And don't tell Syaoran I'm here – he'll know that Auntie sent me!"

I gave a careless wave over my shoulder and ran. I was so far from home I'd probably need a bus to get back. Me and my stupid stomach! I should have known they wouldn't be satisfied after one attack!

I slipped into an alleyway and brought out my key. I then used the Dash Card.

Zipping through Tomoeda's streets, everything seemed to be standing still, but I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned a sharp corner and blasted down the street. I was now only a few blocks from my house. The footsteps were getting louder, but I couldn't look over my shoulder without slowing down, so I just gunned it and prayed that I would lose my pursuer.

"Sakura, wait!" a deep male voice said. My heart jumped into my throat. Syaoran was chasing me.

I skidded to a stop in front of my house, panting. Very soon something toppled me over from the side. When I opened my eyes my vision was filled with Syaoran's face. I could feel his heavy breathing on my lips.

I closed my eyes. Was he going to kiss me? What was taking so long?

When I opened them again his face had turned bright red. He got off me, muttering incoherently. I was about to say something, but I heard something fall in the house.

I turned and ran up the steps, but he held me back by the wrist.

"Sakura, it was an accident, I'm sorry—"

"—don't worry about that now, Syaoran, my father is in trouble!" I exclaimed, rushing to the door.

As soon as I touched the knob I was sent flying back, taking Syaoran with me.

The magic felt the same way as before, and I knew Syaoran felt it too. We looked at each other and then nodded.

It was time to work as a team once again.

* * *

DM: Sorry for the long wait! I hope you liked it! Please review!


End file.
